Joint Security Area (2000) [Film Review]

Joint Security Area; or, Incident at a Frontier
     Three minutes into the war, both countries would be destroyed.
Joint Security Area is a 2000 mystery thriller based on the novel DMZ by Park Sang Yeon and directed by the awesome Park Chan Wook. The movie became an instant blockbuster at the time of the release and also gained critical acclaim due to its controversial subject matter. The picture provides a striking evaluation of the 50 years of history since the outbreak of the Korean War.

Release Info

Directed by: Park Chan Wook Starring: Lee Byung Hun, Song Kang Ho, Lee Young Ae

Language: Korean Original Title: 공동경비구역 JSA Runtime: 110 min

Synopsis
Major Sophie E. Jean (Lee Young Ae) is a Swiss Army emissary sent by the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission to investigate a shooting incident in the Demilitarized Zone. Sergeant Lee Soo Hyuk (Lee Byung Hun) claims to have been kidnapped by the North Korean officers, which resulted in a shoot out in a border house. However, North Korean survivor of the incident, Sergeant Oh Kyung Pil (Song Kang Ho) states that Lee singlehandedly attacked their outpost. In the course of her investigation, Major Jean discovers that both men are not telling the truth. What really happened at a small outpost in the middle of the night on the 28th of October remains a mystery…

Enemy at the Gates
To be honest, I was totally blown away by the movie when I saw it for the first time. Joint Security Area is definitely not a standard Korean flick with lots of thrilling action and high doses of melodrama. In fact, director Park Chan Wook crafted a haunting Rashomon-like story which shows that the Korean people can rise above the political boundaries.

I checked out the film while doing my research for the MDL article "Through the Looking Glass: Inter-Korean Relations in South Korean Fiction," co-written with my friend Seonsaeng (I hope that we will finish it someday). Indeed, Joint Security Area is an excellent introduction into the relations between the South Koreans and the North Koreans.

The movie does take sides and it does not demonize the main protagonists. I try to keep my reviews spoiler-free, and in this case, I do not want to reveal the plot twists, but let me just say… OMG. Joint Security Area hits all the right marks. It is that awesome! So many memorable scenes and so many wonderful quotes! It is not surprising that South Korea's President Roh Moo Hyun gave Kim Jong Il a DVD version of the film in 2007.

With regard to performances, the film obviously would not have been so wonderful without excellent casting. Lee Young Ae is great as Major Jean, a heroine with intriguing past who searches for the truth, I definitely need to check out more movies and dramas with this actress. Lee Byung Hun is also amazing as Sgt. Lee (but still, to me, he will always be "the Bad" from The Good, The Bad, The Weird movie). However, Song Kang Ho provides such overload of charisma that he simply steals the show. You will always be the greatest! In addition, Shin Ha Kyun also appears the film in a memorable supporting role as Pvt. Jung Woo Jin.

Recommendations
I recommend Joint Security Area to anyone who would like to discover more information on the complex relations between South Korea and North Korea. This motion picture is an undeniable classic. I hope that someday I will be able to see on my own eyes the crossing at Panmunjom. Last year, Arrow Video released the movie on Blu-Ray in a beautiful edition.

Overall score: 10/10

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The Quiet Family (1998) [Film Review]

The Quiet Family; or, Lonely Lodge

     Did I tell you about Chul-ki? He was so good at digging that if you gave him a shovel, he'd automatically dig his way. Whenever I see a shovel, it reminds me of Chul-ki. I wonder what he's doing now…
Director Kim Jee Woon is, in my humble opinion, the wildest Korean filmmaker alive. In the course of his career, he churned out such outstanding motion pictures as A Tale of Two Sisters (2003), A Bittersweet Life (2005), The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008), and I Saw the Devil (2010). However, his feature debut also has to be remembered, a 1998 black comedy titled The Quiet Family.

Release Info

Directed by: Kim Jee Woon Starring: Park In Hwan, Na Moon Hee, Song Kang Ho, Choi Min Sik

Language: Korean Original Title: 조용한 가족 Runtime: 99 min

Synopsis
The Kang family has left the metropolitan hustle and bustle for the idyllic countryside. They bought an old house in the mountains with an intention of turning it into a lodge for tourists. The problem is that the family’s business endeavor is not extremely popular. The family is desperate for a guest, and when the first visitor arrives, they can’t believe their fortune. Unfortunately, things go terribly out of control due to a tragic incident...

The Happiness of the Kang Family
I have to say that I gave The Quiet Family a chance with a bit of doubt and suspicion. Whenever I looked on the internet (apart from wikipedia), there always were reserved and spoiler-free opinions. Thankfully, a friend’s recommendation from MDL ultimately persuaded me to watch the film and I did not regret a minute of it!

Evidently, it is very hard to write The Quiet Family without disclosing plot twists, so let me just say that Kim Jee Woon's theatrical debut is a pure black comedy at its best. However, I would not classify it as a horror, in contrast to what other reviewers say on IMDb and YouTube. Indeed, The Quiet Family has a couple of deeply disheartening moments, but these are not scary by any means.

Without a doubt, the screenplay itself is extremely gripping. While watching the film, I really felt bad for the Kang family and their misadventures. They did not do anything wrong, yet had to suffer through a lot of ordeals. The dynamics between the characters were absolutely spot on.

Cinematography by Jeong Kwang Seok is just top notch. The movie starts with an overview shot of the lounge, so from the very first scene, the viewers are exposed to the mental geography of a large setting. This clever introduction allows us to follow more easily the scenes taking place in many different rooms.

What is more, the music score by Jo Yeong Wook and Jeon Sang Yoon is extremely catchy, especially the opening credits piece. In addition, the usage of The Partridge Family's "I Think I Love You" song at the very end is a cherry on the cake.

With regard to performances, Park In Hwan, Na Moon Hee, Song Kang Ho, Choi Min Sik, Go Ho Kyung, and Lee Yoon Seong are wonderful as the Kang gang. This is the film just before Song Kang Ho was jettisoned into stardom with Shiri (1999) and Joint Security Area (2000)! How crazy is that? This guy does not age at all.

It comes as no surprise that the film was remade, but the Hollywood machinery of greed and exploitation has not touched it so far. In fact, Takashi Miike made a Japanese remake in 2001 called The Happiness of the Katakuris, whereas Indian industry produced three different versions for the local markets of Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu.

Recommendations
Highly recommended if you are in the mood for a very black comedy, indeed. The Quiet Family is a striking what-if take on the difficult plight of lodge/hotel owners in present times. Be careful what you wish for because you may receive a lot more than you originally wanted.Overall score: 8/10

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Parasite (2019) [Film Review]

Parasite; or, Shoplifters: Extreme Edition

     Ki Woo, you know what kind of plan never fails? No plan at all. You know why? If you make a plan, life never works out that way. Look around us. Did these people think, “Let’s all spend the night in a gym?”. But look now. Everyone’s sleeping on the floor, us included. That’s why people shouldn’t make plans. With no plan, nothing can go wrong.

Parasite is the 7th motion picture directed by a South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho. It won Palme d’Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival as well as three Chunsa Film Art Awards. In addition, the movie is the latest hot topic on many movie forums due to its original storyline and unexpected twists. Is it a true masterpiece that was rightfully awarded with a 8-minute-long standing ovation at Cannes? Needless to say, I had to find out on my own.

Release Info

Directed by: Bong Joon Ho Starring: Song Kang Ho, Lee Sun Kyun, Cho Yeo Jeong, Choi Woo Shik

Language: Korean Original Title: 기생충 Runtime: 132 min

 

Synopsis

Kim Ki Taek (Song Kang Ho) is an unemployed driver who lives with his wife, Choong Sook (Jang Hye Jin), and their two children, son Ki Woo (Choi Woo Shik) and daughter Ki Jung (Park So Dam) in a rundown semi-basement apartment. The family has no prospects for a steady job and they resort to doing low-paid activities. All of a sudden, Min Hyuk (Park Seo Joon), Ki Woo’s friend, drops by and offers him to take over his job as an English tutor for a wealthy family, the Parks (Lee Sun Kyun and Cho Yeo Jeong). Ki Woo accepts and he ends up in a house of style and glamour. Gaining the Parks’ trust, Ki Taek’s family deceitfully takes over positions of the household’s other workers. Little do they know that this will lead to disastrous consequences.

 

House of the Long Shadows

Positive recommendations from MyDramaList and the movie poster provided me with a cognitive dissonance. I expected a super dark and psychedelic slasher, but the first half of the movie seemed like a funny comedy about small time crooks. My initial reaction was like: “What’s all the fuss? It’s just a black comedy/family drama”. However, when the doorbell started ringing halfway through the picture, all hell broke loose…

 

Parasite’s main assets are not the drastic shifts in tone, but the message it tries to communicate. I would not call the storyline as the “ever-trendy” Marxist critique of capitalism. This movie is not just about the haves and the have-nots. It’s about the deterioration of our society and we get to see that through the lens of Ki Taek and his family on three different levels.

 

I could not help but compare Parasite with the previous Cannes’ winner, Shoplifters (2018). Even though the two films are completely different, I found myself cheering for both families who found themselves in unexpected circumstances. This is where my main issue with Parasite arises: I badly wanted the story to remain a family drama but it turned into a graphic thriller. In consequence, this hair-raising 180 degree turn of events resulted in the ending which left me a bit unsatisfied.

 

Speaking about performances, Song Kang Ho always provides a class act and it’s great to see him continuing the collaboration with director Bong Joon Ho. Jang Hye Jin and Park So Dam also are fantastic as the mother and the daughter, respectively. However, the real highlight of this film is Choi Woo Shik as the son. Honourable mention goes to Lee Jung Eun for her more than unnerving performance.

 

Recommendations

Go ahead and check this one out. Parasite is a very interesting and entertaining story which deserves its widespread praise. Even if some scenes are graphic, I think it is best to watch it with your family and/or friends because the film keeps you guessing what will happen next. To conclude, Parasite effectively discouraged me from trying to buy a fancy house with a big garden for myself.

Overall score: 8/10

The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008) [Film Review]

The Good, the Bad, the Weird; or, Once Upon a Time in Korea

     I'll tell you a big secret about that map. You know what it says? “Treasure, Buried, Dig up, Large volumes”. That's what it says on it! It's a treasure map! So you and me can go find it! If there's a treasure, we split it 60-40. Me 60, you 40. How 'bout it? That's how you make a deal, man!

This week I would like to take a look at a cool film which I have recently checked out. I’m embarrassed to say that I hadn’t known what kind of awesome gem I was holding in my hands until the opening sequence rolled in. Let’s talk about Kim Jee Woon’s The Good, the Bad, the Weird from 2008.

Release Info

Directed by: Kim Jee Woon Starring: Song Kang Ho, Jung Woo Sung, Lee Byung Hun

Language: Korean Original Title:좋은 놈, 나쁜 놈, 이상한 놈 Runtime: 136 min

 

Synopsis

Manchuria, year 1939. A professional hitman called Park Chang Yi [the Bad] (Lee Byung Hun) is hired to retrieve a map from a Japanese official travelling by train. However, before he gets his chance to do so after stopping the train, the map has already been stolen from the official by a thief known as Yoon Tae Goo [the Weird] (Song Kang Ho). What is more, Park Do Won [the Good] (Jung Woo Sung), an excellent marksman and a bounty hunter, appears on the scene to hunt down Park Chang Yi. The three men get entangled in a bloody pursuit after the map that allegedly leads to riches buried in the desert by the Qing Dynasty. In addition, it is also sought by the Manchurian bandits and the Japanese Imperial Army. Who will find the treasure and stay alive? Sit back and watch this spaghetti western made in Korea.

For a Fistful of Wons

First of all, I’m amazed that I have not heard anything about this movie for so long. I stumbled across it by complete accident while flicking through Song Kang Ho’s filmography. Then, fortunately, Polish dvd was available within reach. Connect the two and I was in for an experience which could be described as the kick-ass mash-up of Sergio Leone, Mad Max, and Indiana Jones.

From the very first action sequence we get sucked into the action as Song Kang Ho’s character is rushing through the train carriages and the bullets are flying in all directions. The movie relies heavily on the style of spaghetti western, but it is not afraid to stray away from the inspiring genre in order to achieve other means. Rather than ripping off the classic with Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, and Lee Van Cleef, it pays homage to its father picture and other movies by blending intense camera work with up-beat music, practical effects, massive shootouts, blood, and explosions.

 

Director Kim Jee Woon created a cult film in every sense of the word; yet, it did not receive the attention it deserved outside of South Korea. My response to this: shame! The Good, the Bad, the Weird is a brilliant roller-coaster of ridiculous fun (and with a great cast!). Additionally, the search for a hidden treasure is a sure-fire premise for an intense adventure.

 

Speaking about the cast, all three main actors shine in their respective roles. Jung Woo Sung is excellent as Clint Eastwood-like cowboy claiming bounty on people who act above the law. Song Kang Ho, on the other hand, is the most memorable as the weird-ish thief/scoundrel with his two pistols and a flight cap with goggles. Jung Woo Sung does an outstanding job with playing a bad guy as he’s mercifully menacing in every scene in which he appears, yet at certain times, he seems to overdo things a bit.

 

Talking about the action in details would consume the space of a whole another review, so I will just limit myself to say that there are lots and lots of gripping moments. The definite icing on the cake is the 11-minute-long (yeah, I counted) chase scene which, in my opinion, is close second to the greatest chase of all time from Mad Max: Fury Road. It is sheer awesomeness and every kid’s dream about living the adventure encapsulated in the impetuous race through the desert. It is a must see!

 

The alternative cut...

As with many international releases of Asian movies, obviously, The Good, the Bad, the Weird had to suffer the butchering as well. Approximately 7 minutes were cut out of the picture. The cuts mainly involve shortened sequences, but the whole ending was changed as well. In the original uncut ending, we see the Weird and the Good survive the standoff, while the international version implies that the three protagonists killed off each other... Why does the distributor have to make everything so downbeat? Anyways, if you don't have the full copy of the film, you can watch the original ending here.

 

Recommendations

Highly recommended to anyone who wants to feel some action and adventure in the Asian setting. You can freely suspend your disbelief and enjoy the film for its entertainment value. This movie desires more love and recognition than it gets. In other words, The Good, the Bad, the Weird guarantee a well spent Saturday afternoon. It is a well made (Korean) Western indeed.

Overall score: 9/10